Unit Card:

Set - Rarity - Number

Flank Speed - Common - 1/40

History:

Unprepared for the scope of the German submarine threat, when war broke out and allied merchant ships began succumbing to U-boat torpedoes at alarming rates, the naval leaders of Great Britain cast about for a stop-gap measure to bolster convoy escorts until naval yards could churn out full-size destroyers. Because it could be built quickly, relatively cheaply, in large numbers, and at ship-yards too small to build larger naval craft, the Flower class corvette fit the bill. Built upon what was essentially the smallest hull that could both survive the harsh North Atlantic crossing and also carry a useful anti-submarine armament, the Flower class was not a leap forward in naval design, but in numbers it was effective. The class is attributed with participating in the sinking of more than fifty submarines, damaged far more, and led countless ships through the wolf-packs to safety.

While both the United Kingdom and Canada each produced more than one hundred units of the Flower Class, and though they served in nearly every Allied navy during the war, and countless other navies afterward, only one remains today. HMCS Sackville, a Canadian unit which served with distinction both during and after the war, survives today as a museum and memorial honoring those Canadians that served on the seas during the Second World War. Sackville escorted numerous convoys and damaged a pair of German U-boats before her own damage side-lined her from the convoy protection role late in war.

Reviews:

swarbs
The Sackville as represented in WAS hews closely to its real-life counterpart's capabilities. Sackville is by no means a front line warship, and even if she was, her speed of one renders her incapable of reaching the front line anyway. It is unfortunate that in WAS the major engagement scenarios are far more competitive than the convoy scenarios in which Sackville is designed to shine. In a convoy scenario, her speed would be no disadvantage, as Sackville would have no trouble keeping up with the slow merchant vessels, and her Guard the Convoy SA would provide an ideal line of defense against attack from any sort of enemy. In effect allowing Sackville to take the first shot of an enemy in each phase, Guard the Convoy certainly adds an interesting new dimension to the poorly balanced convoy scenario. Unfortunately, with only meager armor, Sackville won't survive long when imposing herself between her charge and the enemy.

Rengokuy
A 5 point filler unit that does not excel in any field other than being useful fodder. Main guns that would be useful against merchant ships, the lowest AA currently available in game, and a ASW attack that is occasional successful against large submarines, but might make Ambra think twice. Her SA allows her to be a meat shield to a more important Axillary unit. As of now this is only useful in they convoy scenario. In future sets, when an auxiliary piece may find its way into the main game, Sackville will be considerably more useful. Until then, it is best to avoid her unless you need to fill in 5 points, or have some form of affinity for the Flower Class corvette or Canada.